US unveils city-destroying nuclear missile after years of secrecy
By Dean Murray
The United States has unveiled its city-destroying nuclear cruise missile after years of secret development.
The first image of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) reveals a sleek, stealthy weapon designed to evade modern air defenses, with a range said to exceed 1,500 miles.
It is thought the missile will have an adjustable nuclear yield between 5–150 kilotons, allowing uses ranging from tactical effect to destroying cities.
A yield of 150 kilotons is 10 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945.
The LRSO is set to replace the Cold War-era AGM-86B and will be carried by both the forthcoming $585m B-21 Raider and upgraded B-52 bombers.
Air Force officials confirmed that the LRSO has already undergone a series of successful flight tests is set for frontline service by 2030.
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